Is Your Ring Device's Battery Draining Too Fast?
One of the best features of Ring's doorbells and cameras is their ability to run on battery power, offering incredible flexibility in placement. However, if you're finding that you need to recharge the battery far more often than you expected, it can quickly become a chore. A battery that drains too quickly can also leave your home unprotected. The good news is that excessive battery drain is almost always a solvable issue. This guide will help you understand the factors that affect your Ring device's battery life and provide you with practical, easy-to-follow steps to extend the time between charges.
The Most Common Causes of Ring Battery Drain
Battery life is a delicate balance between performance and power consumption. Several factors can tip this balance, causing the battery to deplete rapidly.
High Level of Activity
This is the number one cause of poor battery life. If your Ring device is positioned to detect a lot of motion—from a busy street, pedestrians on the pavement, or even swaying tree branches—it will be constantly waking up, recording, and sending notifications. Every one of these actions consumes power.
Frequent Use of Live View
Activating the Live View to check in on your property is a great feature, but it's also one of the most power-intensive operations your Ring device can perform. Streaming live video and audio requires a significant amount of energy.
Weak Wi-Fi Signal
Similar to your mobile phone, your Ring device has to work much harder to maintain a connection to your Wi-Fi network if the signal is weak. This constant struggle to stay connected is a major, yet often overlooked, source of battery drain.
Cold Weather
If you live in a region with cold winters, you will notice a significant drop in battery performance. The chemical reactions inside lithium-ion batteries are less efficient at low temperatures (below 0°C or 32°F), meaning they cannot hold their charge as effectively.
How to Troubleshoot and Improve Your Ring's Battery Life
Let's get to the solutions. By methodically adjusting a few settings in the Ring app and assessing your device's environment, you can make a big difference.
Step 1: Optimise Your Motion Settings
The goal is to tell your device to ignore irrelevant motion and only focus on what matters.
- Adjust Motion Sensitivity: In the Ring app, go to your device's Motion Settings. You'll see a 'Motion Sensitivity' slider. Try reducing this slightly. This will make the device less likely to trigger from distant or insignificant movements.
- Configure Motion Zones: This is your most powerful tool. Create specific Motion Zones that cover the areas you want to monitor, like your walkway or porch. Exclude areas of constant motion, like the street or a neighbour's garden.
- Use Smart Alerts: If your device supports it, enable 'Smart Alerts' to refine notifications for people or packages only. This stops the device from fully activating for every passing car or pet.
- Adjust Motion Frequency: In the Motion Settings, you can also adjust the 'Motion Frequency'. Setting this to 'Standard' or 'Light' will introduce a brief delay after a motion event before the device will look for a new one, preventing a series of recordings from a single, prolonged event.
Step 2: Check Your Wi-Fi Connection
A strong Wi-Fi signal is vital for a healthy battery.
- In the Ring app, go to the Device Health section for your camera or doorbell.
- Look for the 'Network' status and check the Signal Strength. If the RSSI value is high (e.g., -60 to -90), it indicates a weak signal. An ideal RSSI is -40 or better.
- If the signal is weak, try moving your Wi-Fi router closer to your Ring device, or consider installing a Ring Chime Pro, which also acts as a Wi-Fi extender.
Step 3: Be Mindful of Live View Usage
Use the Live View feature when you need it, but be aware that extended or frequent use will drain the battery faster than any other activity.
Step 4: Consider a Second Battery or Solar Charger
If you've optimised all your settings and still find the battery life isn't sufficient for your high-traffic location, consider a practical hardware solution.
- Quick Release Battery Pack: Having a second, fully charged battery on hand means you can swap them over in seconds, eliminating any downtime.
- Ring Solar Charger/Panel: For devices that receive several hours of direct sunlight per day, a solar charger can be a fantastic 'set it and forget it' solution, constantly topping up the battery and dramatically reducing the need for manual recharging.
Conclusion
By fine-tuning your motion settings, ensuring a strong Wi-Fi signal, and understanding the impact of features like Live View, you can take control of your Ring device's battery life. A few small adjustments can lead to a significant increase in the time between charges, ensuring your device is always ready to protect your home.